Rabaulchief town of the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is situated on Simpson Harbour, part of Blanche Bay, on the Gazelle Peninsula.

The town, founded in 1910 as a German colonial headquarters, was the capital (1921–41) of the Australian-administered Territory of New Guinea mandated by the League of Nations. Occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945, Rabaul was destroyed by Allied bombing; it was rebuilt after 1950. Natural disturbances also have had a devastating impact on the town. Located above unstable tectonic plates, it frequently experiences earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Surrounded by a number of volcanoes, including Kombiu (The Mother), Toyanumbatir and Turanguna (North and South Daughters, Vulcan Crater (on Manam Island, now joined to the main coast, with a racecourse at its base), and Mount Tavurvur (Matupi Crater(Mount Tavurvur), Rabaul was evacuated in 1937 following the violent eruption of Vulcan and Matupi craters; the capital was subsequently transferred to Lae. The craters erupted again in 1994, burying nearby craters. Lae was designated the new capital, although the outbreak of World War II interrupted the governmental transfer. Occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945, Rabaul was destroyed by Allied bombing; it was rebuilt after 1950. Another eruption in 1994 buried the town under volcanic ash; much of , although a well-planned evacuation of between 10,000 and 30,000 residents kept casualties to a minimum. Much of the extensive damage was repaired by the late 1990s.

Commercial activities in Rabaul centre on the harbour, through which such products as copra, cocoa, and coconut oil are exported. Rabaul also has some light manufactures, including furniture, cement pipes, prefabricated steel buildings, and bricks. Namanula Hill, behind the town, is the site of government buildings. Rabaul has good communications, including radio transmissions, and has an international airport. Pop. (1980) 14,954; (1990 prelim.) 17,022.

The population remained much reduced, however, because many evacuees did not return. Pop. (2000) 3,885.